Top 10 things to see if you're Amelia Concours-bound

Friday

Mar 9, 2018 at 2:01 AM

Dan Scanlan @scanlan_dan

For more than two decades, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance has layered the lush fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island with stunning classic cars and wild racing machines on the second weekend in March.

It's also brought famous race car drivers, automotive designers and collectors together to create a weekend show ranked among the nation's finest for an event that also raises millions for charity. Predicted Sunday rain means the main attraction, the huge classic car show, moves to 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

So as this weekend marks the 23rd appearance of The Amelia, what should attendees look out for? Here's our Top 10:

1. Number one with a Bullitt is literally that — the original 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback from Steve McQueen's 1968 movie "Bullitt," just found after 40 years. It will be at the Hagerty Insurance booth.

2. Emmo, aka race car driver Emerson Fittipaldi, is this year's concours honoree. He won the 1989 and 1993 Indianapolis 500, plus two Formula One world championships. And the Brazilian legend will be joined on Sunday's show field by his Indy 500-winning Penske PC 18 and PC 22, plus his Formula 1 championship cars, the first time all four have been shown together.

3. It was called Orbitron, a wild space-age creation in 1964 as done by California custom king "Big Daddy" Ed Roth. Now the car, found rotting a few years back in front of a Mexican adult book store, will join other Roth creations — like Tweedy Pie, Beatnik Bandit I, Mysterion (a replica since the original vanished), Surfite and Beatnik Bandit II — in a special class,.

4. Other interesting car classes on the show field include hunting cars, custom coachwork vehicles created for hunters and owners of large estates; the Porsche Carrera; Jaguar XKE; Cars of Martini International Racing; IMSA GTP cars; electric horseless carriages; 50th anniversaries of the Ferrari Daytona and Ferrari's North American Race Team; and Indiana's Auburn motor car company. Plus, an Italian superbike class features motorcycles from Ducati, MV Auusta and others.

5. Two car seminars: "Watts Next? Design Challenges of the Electric Car" at 3 p.m. Friday, then "Drivers of the IMSA Prototype," 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Both are in the Talbot Ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton. They are $35 each.

6. Concours founding sponsor Mercedes-Benz just confirmed its 1,000-hp Mercedes-AMG Project ONE will be on display during the weekend. Infiniti will show its its Q Inspiration concept (revealed at Detroit this year) and Prototype 9. Alfa Romeo shows its Giulia Ti Lusso Q4 and Stelvio Ti Sport.

7. Classics and sports cars owned by local car clubs fill the show field for the fourth annual Cars & Coffee at the Concours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. That's free, and includes the unveiling of legendary driver Carroll Shelby's stillborn Lone Star race car, and Automobile Magazine's All-Stars for 2018.

8. If you want to see classics on the road, many take part in the Reliable Carriers Eight Flags Road Tour that launches 8 a.m. Friday in front of the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, and ends with lunchtime display on Centre Street in Fernandina Beach.

10. The Porsche Club of America’s Werks Reunion is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the Omni. Spectators are free. Parking is $20. Information: werksreunion.com/amelia.cfm.

The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance is 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, offering the main display of 300-plus classics, race cars and concepts on the 10th, 18th and 1st fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island. For a look at all of The Amelia's events, go to ameliaconcours.org.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Stay Connected

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Florida Times-Union ~ 1 Riverside Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32202 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service